Melissa H North - TRAIL BLAZING Author on her Best Selling Signing Tour Right Now*
Lissie has one of those magical wizard personalities that we gravitate towards, ever-changing colours of her psychedelic nature - intelligent in brain and body structure. She's been signed up by the Big Wigs in Australia, appearing in book stores around the country, and meeting the Best in Us.
When I got to know Lissie initially, I quickly saw her unique talent and eagle-like mind going forwards to create and Be Created by herself again and again - just another day at the office of splendour. All of us can meet there every morning at 8am and live one more day to tell another story. That's what Lissie shows us. Her vibrant energy points in so many exquisite directions, right out there hovering in the sunshine. Over. The. Green. Velvet. Grass.
Here are Lissie's answers to some questions which I asked of her. She has shared her essence below.
1. Why did you begin to write?
I remember I loved to write when I was younger. My father was in the Army and would go away for months at a time and the only way to be able to talk to him was through letter writing - so that's what I did. I would sit at the table after school and write. I have no idea what I wrote now, but I seemed to have a lot to say back then and it became a regular thing. I realised this when my mother would have the paper and pen ready on the table of an afternoon.
I didn't really start taking writing seriously though until my later years. Way later in fact. I think I began dabbling in writing stories in my thirties. I always told stories instead. My children think I'm a great story-teller. I guess I started writing then because I had a lot on my mind, a lot of ideas, concepts and wonderment. I went from verbal stories to written stories. Two avenues instead of one and still love to do both.
2. Why the genre you picked?
That's an easy question. It seemed the most natural to me. I love fantasy. I love day-dreaming about other worlds and creatures, and creating characters and challenges for them. Fantasy is the ultimate creative outlet. It's diverse but still has tangible and distinct collections of elements. Sub-genres of fantasy include one of my favourite - I love writing Steampunk stories - and others such as dark fantasy, vampire and classic fantasy genres.
3. Who influenced you most in your writing?
Quite a number of people from renowned authors to family and friends. J.R.R. Tolkien, George Orwell, Mary Shelley to name a few, and then there's inspirational people like my fellow indie author friends who encourage me to find ideas and keep writing.
4. What challenges have you faced on your journey?
I found the biggest challenge for me was not the writing that flows easily, it's the public speaking. I'm not very good at talking in crowds but I've been told in time you get used to it. I can't wait until then.
5. What makes you happy?
EVERYTHING! I'm always happy - definitely reading a well-written fantasy book makes me happy sometimes to the point of excited!
6. What makes you mad?
When I can't write the words forming in my head because of time or work constraints, although I think that's more frustration than mad.
